A few weeks ago I had to get my old car looked at by the friendly mechanics in the old area of Bangkok called Worachak which has been a hub for all engineering parts, spare parts, all kinds of car gadgets. Most motor cyclists and amateur car racers would come to this area to find old and new gadgets, including electronic instruments. I will have to make a post about this old Chinese market area one day. After leaving my old car at the mechanic workshop, I decided to go for a walk at the Golden Mount Temple.
The last time I went there was two years ago, just before the country lockdown due to coronavirus. I have so many fond memories about this old temple as that’s the temple where I took some Steemian friends for sightseeing during the SteemFest4 in Bangkok in 2019, four years ago! Wow! How time and things have changed during this period. I could still remember trying to lead 
I was glad that they didn’t get freaked out by the ‘millions’ of local Thais who came to have a good time at the annual temple fair. Had I known there were going to be thousands of visitors, I would have switched to another temple by the river. But both
Nowadays, the temple looks much nicer and more organised with more bonsai trees and colourful gardens. The management has probably expected a boom in tourism so more seating areas and toilets had been constructed to offer more amenities to tourists. The stairway for going up has been under renovation so visitors had to go up the other ‘way out’ stairway.
There were some coffee shop and iced herbal drink stall opening for dehydrated visitors. The prices were very cheap but there were less than twenty visitors that day. I felt quite sorry for the vendors. Though I have seen more Western tourists in Bangkok; they were too few! Had the Chinese tourism been allowed to restart; all verdors would be popping beer bottles!
As I was walking up those red steps, a pink building far away called for my attention; it’s the Prince Palace hotel where SteemFest4 was hosted. That’s the advantage of walking around during daytime in the temple. The lighting was incredible strong and so hot that all germs would be roasted or vapourised instantly and the views of the surroundings were jumping at me. I could take better photos with my mobile phone; old iPhone needed lots of light. I remembered seeing
Looking around Bangkok vista from the roof area of the Golden Mount, I was quite amazed at the diversity of lives and the continuity of our society for almost three hundreds years of ups and downs. The last few years have been very challenging for Thai people who were educated to be passive and fear authority. Luckily there have always been some people who could critically think and question without being dominated by any dogma. These people are like rare herbal plants having to exist quietly in hostile environment.
Looking around the sprawling rows of old houses in contrast with the skyscrapers in the financial center of Bangkok, I did wonder what the future would bring. We could not stop the ebbs and flows of changes as these are the results of karma or actions by lots of people who share the collective unconscious. We are the society in which we live and interact with each others; the momentum of the aggregation of these small reactions and actions produced resulting energies which form the basis of everyday life on the macro level.
So, I was reminded by all the floating vibes or energies around the Golden Mount to walk softly on this earth and to refrain from being angry. Whatever energy we expel from our bodies would immediately affect the surrounding area. It’s like throwing a stone into a pond creating ripple effect. So, in this uncertain time, I have to be forever mindful of my thoughts and be compassionate to all sentient beings. Only compassion, love and kindness can help healing all the faster! The vibes of the Buddha Relics at the top of the Golden Mount was very strong and omnipresent that hot summer day. I forgot all about my lunch and my old car. Snapping myself back to daily responsibility, I had to fulfilled my tasks and survive each day to the best of my ability while appreciating the blessings I still have under constrained situation.
Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.
Stay strong and cheerful.